thesis statement - a sentence that expresses the central idea of an essay
The thesis statement is the topic sentence of the whole essay. It gives the essay a focus, purpose, and direction.
Introductory hook - an attention-grabbing technique found in the opening section of an essay
The opening section of something is the introduction. The hook gets the reader interested and wanting to read on. A bad hook makes the reader feel as though the essay has nothing to offer.
Diction - the choice of words appropriate to the topic and audience
Diction is about word choice. It is important to choose the words that best fit the topic and audience. A scientific essay should use key scientific terms while a piece of writing to a friend would have more informal words and possibly slang.
Transitions - cohesive devices that help in the smooth flow of ideas in an essay.
Transition words help ideas transition from one to another. Some helpful transition words are first, second, next, instead, and in conclusion.
